Infection Preventionist

Housekeeping Services allowance up to $200.00 per month

Potential 2% increase at 90 days

ZayZoon - Get paid when you need it

Infection Preventionist: The IP is responsible for the facility’s activities aimed at preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) by ensuring that sources of infections are isolated to limit the spread of infectious organisms. The IP systematically collects, analyzes, and interprets health data in order to plan, implement, evaluate, and disseminate appropriate public health practices. The IP conducts educational and training activities for healthcare workers through instruction and dissemination of information on healthcare practices.

Responsibilities: The IP is responsible for the implementation and review of the facility’s infection prevention program. The IP ensures that existing standards and guidelines of applicable professional organizations and regulatory and governmental agencies are incorporated into the program. The IP reviews relevant public health issues to integrate into practice, serves as a consultant and resource person regarding infection prevention issues for all facility personnel, collaborates with other healthcare professionals within and outside of the facility, and implements infection prevention education programs. The IP systematically collects and analyzes healthcare-associated infection data using epidemiological principles and statistical methods to identify trends and risk factors. Additionally, it is often the responsibility of the IP to perform the reporting of HAI and quality data for the various facility, county, state, and federal reporting requirements. The IP incorporates the principles of fiscal responsibility into practice and promotes the standards of advanced professional practice.

Duties: The IP conducts rounds, discusses and monitors infection prevention practices with staff members, collects infection data from departments, maintains records for each case of healthcare- associated infection, conducts outbreak investigation, trains staff members on implementation of infection prevention practices, investigates incidents of infections and reports such incidents to the appropriate person/department, and ensures availability of supplies required for infection prevention activities. Specifically, the IP is responsible for the following:

• Makes recommendations regarding the prevention and control of infection.
• Provides advice for all staff members regarding the management of infectious patients/residents and other infection prevention issues.
• Coordinates the annual infection control risk assessment in conjunction with management team members.
• Develops and implements the annual infection prevention plan in conjunction clinical management team. Develops or updates policies as needed to comply with current CDC and CMS regulations regarding infection control and prevention.
• Conducts surveillance of infections, initiates care plans and monitors antibiotic use in accordance with standards of practice.
• Ensures the completion of audits regarding the implementation of and compliance with selected policies.
• Provides education and training for all staff members on the prevention of HAIs, infection prevention trends.
• Educates and performs vaccinations and tuberculosis testing to residents and staff members upon hire and admission, and ongoing per CDC recommendations and OSHA requirements.
• Coordinates and monitors employee health initiatives including employee vaccinations, illnesses and other staff member health issues.
• Coordinates with clinical teams regarding the development of infection prevention standards. Provides education to staff members, monitors and audits staff for compliance with infection prevention standards.
• Presents/provides infection prevention reports to the Quality Assurance team members including administration; this report is to include results of infection prevention program goal achievements and matters of concern
• Cooperates with the county and state department of health regarding infectious and communicable disease reporting.

Skills: The IP should be a highly energetic individual who demonstrates a desire to develop and implement the infection prevention and control program. The IP is able to plan and conduct education and exercises and has a working knowledge of nursing practice and theory. The IP should have excellent written and oral communication skills, display leadership and creativity, possess time management skills, and have extensive presentation experience. The IP should be adaptable and flexible in order to meet a wide range of service needs.

Infection Preventionist position requires:

1. moving throughout the organization
2. lifting up to 20 pounds
3. sitting for long periods of time

Preferred Attributes of the Quality Assurance Director

1. Licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Wyoming (Required).
2. A minimum 1 year of nursing experience in a post-acute long term care setting.
3. Certification in Infection Control (CIC) should be achieved within two years in the position, with CDC modules on Infection Prevention completed within 3 months in the position.
4. Previous experience in teaching, curriculum development, and instruction is desired.

Other requirements: The IP should be able to:
• Read, analyze, and interpret contracts, technical procedures, and/or government regulations
• Display proficiency in computer and software skills
• Write reports and other forms of correspondence
• Present verbal and/or written information and respond to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints
• Apply mathematical concepts such as fractions, percentages, rates, and proportions to practical situations
• Work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical tools for analysis and problem solving
• Create and interpret various charts and graphs to present in an understandable format
• Reason, define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw conclusions
• Interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, schematic, and schedule form
• Apply principles of logical and/or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems
• Use information management systems for:

• • Data entry and retrieval
  • Data collection and organization
  • Data analysis and evaluation
  • Required reporting
  • Integration of diverse sources of data

• Interpret Wyoming Department of Health standards, CMS Conditions of Participation (COP), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards, information on CDC websites, and medical/legal concepts regarding healthcare data

• Complete data entry into the National Health Safety Network (NHSN) on a timely basis
• Apply knowledge and skills regarding quality improvement tools and techniques, including statistical process controls.

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